https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dworCHCm3ts
This method starts at the spine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPMnQRlMbW4
Here's how to do it starting at the breasbone, which is how I do it. He does it a little differently than me and leaves a lot of cuts and holes in the skin. I like the skin as intact as possible. I like the net thing, though, and I want to try that.
There are a lot of little refinements and everyone does it just a little different. Lots of vids on youtube, and you will probably want to watch several, and pick and choose the details.
I dry the bird and start at the breast. You may notice that the pectoral muscles separate into two groups, an outer and an inner group, and the inner group sort of falls away from the rest. I like to cut it on off, and roll those parts right up inside, so the final end flap is not so bulky. You can also set those inner breast filets aside and use in another dish. Breaded and fried they make a great sammitch.
The important thing is to keep the skin intact so it makes a nice self basting casing for the whole bird. I don't cut the skin of the leg. I tunnel debone the legs and upper wings.
It is really hard to over season the bird. I use quite a bit of sage, a little rosemary, and a good dose of Slap Ya Mama. Some panko bread crumbs help everything stick together, and sometimes I also go with a little onion soup mix or dry mustard. After rolling and tying, I rub some more Slap Ya Mama on the skin and sometimes sprinkle on some bread crumbs. Always roast on a rack so it is not just soaking in juices and getting all soggy. The drippings make nice gravy, just pour into cast iron skillet and brown some flour in them, and add a little worcestershire, sherry, and enough water to give you the desired consistency.
Cook at around 400f, temp not that critical, until the core temp is about 162 so as it continues to self cook out of the oven, the inner temp rises to the perfect 165f.
If you let the bird rest for about 45 minutes, you can slice it into nice little rounds. Also straight out of the oven you have sort of a bag of juice that is full of chicken meat. Cut it and the juice all runs out and leaves the meat kind of dry. Let it stand and the juice goes back into the meat, giving it a moister consistency and better flavor.
Obviously, you can do this with any sort of bird, including turkey or peacock or goose. Down to a small pheasant or a really big dove. I wouldn't want to waste too much time doing quail LOL!
The carcass of course makes good stock. I cook it and the giblets down in the pressure cooker for a half hour, cool, strain, and remove all bones from the meat bits. The meat is great for a meat pie, or for adding to the chicken gravy, which is great over grits or waffles. Or toss it back in the broth for a good chicken soup.